Ian Kennedy is the Executive Director of the Downtown Columbia Arts and Culture Commission, a non-profit community organization dedicated to enhancing the cultural significance of Merriweather Post Pavilion and fostering the growth of arts and culture in Columbia, Maryland. His involvement with Merriweather Post Pavilion dates back to 2003, when he co-founded a successful grassroots effort called Save Merriweather to oppose a plan to close and demolish the beloved venue. In the years since, Kennedy remained a strong advocate for the venue in a variety of roles.

Kennedy has a long-history of serving the Columbia and Howard County communities in a variety of capacities. Professionally, he was previously the Director of Communications for the Horizon Foundation, a nonprofit public health philanthropy dedicated to improving health and wellness in Howard County. And before that, Kennedy served as Deputy Chief of Staff to former Howard County Executive Ken Ulman. He is active in several other community issues, as well.